Diamond wedding of Mr and Mrs A Shute

Quietly celebrating sixty years of happy married life on Sunday of last week were Mr and Mrs Alfred Shute, 9 Wimbourne Terrace, Bideford, who were married on March 9th 1887, at Alwington Parish Church.
A small party was held at their home in honour of the anniversary and the family of three sons and one daughter were present. Mr Shute’s sister, Mrs Westaway, who was the bridesmaid at the wedding, also attended and some other guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Bideford, Mr and Mrs J Lang, the Town Clerk, Mr F C Backway, and Dr M W Littlewood, the family doctor.
Of the family of four, only two live in the district. Miss Lillian Shute, lives with her parents and Mr W H Shute, who lives at 5 Victoria Grove, Bideford, is in business as a joiner and undertaker. Mr A A Shute lives at Chepstow and Mr Wilfred Shute at Bournemouth.
Mr and Mrs Shute snr. Came to Bideford shortly after their marriage and have remained here ever since. For over forty years Mr Shute was associated with the Wesleyan Methodist Church as a lay preacher until overtaken by deafness.
Mrs Shute, who before her marriage was Miss Wilmot Pennington, and lived at Alwington, is 88 years of age. Her husband is 85.
Memories of old Bideford recalled by Mr Shute include coming to Bideford as a boy – he then lived at Littleham – and seeing the Old Grammar School on the site of the present Bridge Hall, and of the British Boys ‘Bell’ School which then stood where the Fire Station now is.
The full Gazette article is dated 18 March 1947